


The Plucked Flower

by JesterFesta



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Fluff, I call it a writing exercise, M/M, and apparently I can't write short one shots, enough of this, merman!Felix, prince!Chan, the mermaid AU nobody needed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 09:53:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JesterFesta/pseuds/JesterFesta
Summary: He would always go to the sea. Always stand by the beach to stare off into the distance. Nobody was allowed to accompany him, nobody would understand what he was waiting for anyway. Who he was waiting for. But he knew and he waited every day for that shimmer of orange to peek out of the water. A day without his little flower felt like a wasted one to the prince whose head had been turned by the sea.





	The Plucked Flower

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Laughingvirus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laughingvirus/gifts).



> Soooo this is a really spontaneous one shot I wrote for Julia after seeing a post about a mermaid AU. I...I really don't usually write fluff and I suck at pacing especially for one shots but this is all I did for the past couple of days so I hope you enjoy it in SOME way???
> 
> Not beta-ed, please forgive any inconsistencies and mistakes.  
> Follow me on twt @JesterFesta if you want ^o^/

Felix had a headache like no other. The throbbing of his head brought him back to life, heart beating furiously to keep his body mobile. He was lying on something hard, somewhat like a rock but not as solid. He clawed at the surface only to have his fingers sink down into...sand? He forced his eyes open trying to move but there was no water. Nothing like the liquid he had spent all of his life in but only more sand and little stones like gravel. There was the sound of waves but where was the water? He finally managed to open his eyes, adjusting to the browns and greens surrounding him, focusing on all the things he could see up close until it dawned to him.

The dry land.

The storm must have brought him there after he had lost consciousness. The elders had warned him of being by the surface during a storm but he had risked a glance at the beautiful dry land with all its greens and browns. How often had he dreamed of visiting this mysterious place to take in all the foreign colors, scents and tastes? How often had he wanted to escape the sea and explore the islands he found? Yet, now that he was finally there he suddenly didn't feel anything but fear. This was not good, there was no going back. His breathing picked up pace, panic increasing with every heartbeat when he sat up to analyze his tail for damage – but he could not find it. No scales. No shimmering colors from purple to bright orange.

Only skin and two long limbs looking like his arms but...different. He had seen those before. The people he had seen on human ships had them too but usually they were hidden under layers of something that looked soft. He believed to have heard them call it _clothes_ once but nobody had believed him. His teeth clattered when he reached out to the unknown limbs replacing his tail and fins, stroking over the skin in fascination as well as horror. Wind hit him from the side causing him to shiver for what must have been the first time. He was...cold.

And his fins were gone.

He felt tears welling in his eyes, hot and salty like the sea had been all those years and he hoped they would give him a feeling of familiarity, something that would pull him from this nightmare but it never came. He was still cold. His fins were still gone. And he had no idea where he was.

The tears started falling, hot streaks on his skin turning freezing cold at the impact of the wind and he sat like that for a long long time, choking out sobs and clawing at the horrendous extra limbs as if they would disappear that way only to cry more due to the pain and the ugly bloody lines his nails left behind. His headache intensified, confusion numbing his common sense until a thought crossed his mind cutting through the haze.

You are still alive.

Sure, he did not know what had happened but he was still breathing. Was still moving, _feeling._ He was...functioning. And maybe there was a way out of this situation after all? Maybe the tales of the elders were wrong? It was the hope he needed to wipe his tears and pull himself together.

He had to find out how these limbs worked, he had seen the humans stand upright on solid ground with them, who said he could not do the same? It was weird at first, having to coordinate his movements and control two limbs at once just to be able to move but he managed somehow, leaning against the high rock wall nearby to support his body. Good. This was good.

“Your highness! Do not get too close to the cliff!”

He flinched at the sudden voice coming from above causing him to lose his balance and drop to his knees again. Deep breaths were what helped him get up when another voice replied, young and warm like the sun on a summer day.

“Don't worry, I'll be careful!”

Deep breaths helped him make up for the effort he had to put into setting one limb in front of the other before he tilted his head upwards where the voices had come from. There was a little mountain ledge he could spot with a human standing there just staring at the horizon with a distant gaze. He was wearing loose white _clothes_ that waved in the chilly wind of the sea. The boy's hair was of light color, brighter than his own and it looked like the lights he had seen at night, golden and fascinating.

He wanted to take a step back to see more of the human's face but miscalculated and fell to the ground yet again, this time with a pained groan. This was not it. Maybe if he got back to the sea things would get better? _And where would you swim with those two skin tails, huh?_ True. He had nowhere to swim. A gasp from above had him glance up at the golden haired boy again, their eyes meeting, either of them as shocked as the other. A human had seen him. In this state. He had heard of some merpeople who had gotten close to humans but the outcome was never certain. Most of his kind had died if the tales were anything to go by at this point. He could only stare into the brown eyes and swallow as they stared back at him.

“A-Are you alright?”, the human boy then said retreating from the ledge.

“Your highness, where are you-”

“Be right back!”, the boy's voice called again while rustling could be heard until he stood right in front of him again crouching down with panic in his eyes. “Oh God, what happened to you? You must have been washed ashore. Did you suffer shipwreck? Where is your crew? Or your clothes, for that matter.”

He stared back at the boy in fear, not understanding what he was saying for the most part. All he knew was that the voice was warm like the sun shining down on him on a summer day. Warm and comforting, calming him. “I-I came f-from...from the sea.” His own voice was raspy like he had swallowed a puffer fish whole but it did not appear to bother the human boy who just took off the soft thing that had been draped around his shoulders without a word, covering his skin with it instead. He did not know what was going on but the shivers subsided, he was not as cold anymore. _This must be clothes_ , he concluded.

The human's hands reached out to him and he shied away causing the softness to slip from his shoulders. He scrambled to get it back to feel warmer again when the hands closed around his wrist and waist with a firm grip. “Come on, get up first”, the human boy mumbled softly, face close to his. “What is your name?”

He whimpered at the pain in his head, clawing at the clothes the human had given him. _Your name?_ He swallowed hard to get rid of the raspiness, eyes drawn to the bright and golden hair. “Felix.” He didn't dare raising his voice above a whisper, fearing it might break otherwise.

“Alright, Felix. I'm Chan and I'll get you someplace warm now, okay?”

There was no reason to object so Felix nodded as the warm hands steadied him and the human – Chan – started moving forward slowly. The voice he had heard first reached his ears again, stupefied with horror. “Your highness, what are you doing? You cannot just-”

“I can do whatever I want-” The warmth of the voice vanished almost completely in an instant as soon as Chan spoke to the other human “-and you are to follow my orders. Ready the carriage and a blanket.”

“I- You- Y-Yes, highness.”

Felix did not know what followed, thinking back at it, he must have passed out on the way to that thing called carriage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“How dare you bring some beggar into this house!”

“Father, look, he was lying by the beach frightened to death, how could I let him lie there and-”

“This was not your decision to make!”

A slap rang through the air followed by adamant silence. Felix did not know whether he preferred the loud voices or the silence but the longer the latter stretched, the more he wished to hear the warm voice again. The human boy's voice. _His name is Chan_.

Again he was lying on his back but this time the ground was much softer feeling somewhat like the clothes Chan had given him before he passed out. He was engulfed by warmth, a welcome change from the cold wind by the sea. The sea. The storm. Sand. No tail. Felix's awareness of his situation set in causing him to inhale sharply. The smell of the sea was gone, replaced by something sweet he could not identify. There was no wind. No seagulls audible for all he knew.

The sound of something heavy retreating reached his ears and he opened his eyes to be overwhelmed by the white walls and red soft things like clothes hanging from the ceiling by the window. It looked like a room, just like at home where his parents lived but still so different. There were so many objects he did not know, things like the one he was lying on, soft and warm. Felix let his eyes travel across the room in awe before getting stuck on Chan who was standing by a door, the heavy thuds he had heard growing faint as the door fell shut. He had changed his appearance, now less white and more blue and gold defining his clothes. He was on the dry land in a room full of things he could not identify.

“Ch-...Chan?”, he breathed with wide eyes and the other's brown ones settled on his in surprise, tension disappearing from his body.

“Felix, oh thank heavens you're awake! How are you?”

“I-” He sat up noticing that his body was wrapped in something that looked like what Chan had on his body. Clothes _._ It was a very foreign feeling but he got used to the softness as the human boy joined his side. “I am...I mean, I...I am confused.”

“Confused?” Chan tilted his head to the side and blinked. “How come?”

“Where am I?”

“Oh.” The human boy knelt by the thing he was lying on with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips that revealed his dimples. “You are in the palace, this is my room and my bed. Don't worry, you're safe here.”

Felix stared at Chan in disbelief. “The...the palace?” The wealthy families of the seas lived in palaces, beautifully decorated with corals and pearls. Felix had only seen them from the outside. “Humans have palaces too?”

Chan was taken aback by his comment furrowing his brows. “Yes, uhm, humans do have palaces? Who else would have them? Apes?”

Felix did not know what apes were but he let out a chuckle nonetheless. This was such an easy question. “The merfolk, who else?”

They stared at each other for a couple of seconds, Felix with a (more or less confident) smile, Chan looking like Felix was growing a second head. Until he broke out into a breathy laugh averting his gaze. “This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard today but have it your way. Either way I need to get some food into you or you might just faint again, I'll have the maid make you something to eat, yeah?”

Felix did not understand why Chan found his reply so funny but he was not upset so that was good. So far, humans appeared to be far less intimidating than he had believed for the past nineteen years. “Food sounds good.”

“Good. Very good.” Chan inspected his face for a little longer as if taking in every detail before getting up and walking to the door. “You will need to get out of bed though, _father_ does not approve of food in bed. Or me rescuing people for that matter. Just move over to the chair”, he said pointing at a wooden construction he was probably supposed to sit on, “I'll be back in a minute, okay?”

“O-okay”, Felix replied concluding that he was currently sitting on a _bed._ He liked it, it was comfortable and soft. Shortly after having moved to the _chair_ (it had taken him some time with the extra limbs), Chan reentered the room a scowl on his face. “What's wrong?”, he asked, worried because Chan had looked very understanding and kind until then.

“Nothing. People don't trust my decisions”, he replied curtly visibly forcing himself to relax as he sat down in his _chair_. “I hope meat and veggies are alright with you?”

Felix blinked, figuring it was probably better to ask what Chan meant. “What is...meat? And v-veggies?”

“Meat?”, Chan furrowed his brows. “Uhm...you know, what a pig or cow is...made of? And veggies, like, vegetables? You don't like that?”

Confusing words for confusing situations, Felix could not make sense of them. “Do humans not eat fish and seaweed?” It was an easy question, yes or no, but for some reason Chan did not seem to understand, asking what he meant. Felix shrugged. “I mean, is it unusual for humans to eat fish?”

“Uhm, we...you keep talking like you are not human, what's with you? Where are you from?”

Silly, he had asked that before, had he not? Felix blinked several times before deciding to reply a second time. “I'm from the sea, South Pacific to be exact. I used to live there until the storm came and I just woke up without my tail and two extra limbs. And then...then you found me.”

Chan shook his head with a snort. “You are not making sense, this is impossible. Is the Little Mermaid your favorite book?” Felix kept staring back at him without wavering until Chan's amused smile faded away making room for surprise again. “You are serious.”

“I'm telling you the truth”, he confirmed with a determined nod. Somehow, Chan did not believe him where he had come from but why? Everybody knew about the merfolk...or did they not? “I...I was a merman. I observed this part of the dry land for several months if not years but the elders taught us never to leave the water or we would...we would...” What would they? Dying couldn't be it, Felix was still very much alive. But he was...he was somewhat human now, was he not? Chan kept observing the change of emotions on Felix's face, studying it carefully before leaning back in his _chair_ with his arms crossed.

“Mermen are...they say those are dangerous. But this cannot be, they are just myths.”

“But it's true!”, Felix insisted with tears welling up in his eyes. Why wouldn't Chan understand? The door opened once more and an elderly woman entered the room with a plate she put down in front of Felix. “We keep to ourselves because humans are bad and kill us on sight. You've got to believe me, I am a creature of the water!” A foreign smell spread through the room and Felix examined what he was brought in fascination. The green reminded him of seaweed but it looked like little sea sponges which was very unusual.

“We don't- I mean- uh...” Chan waved the woman closer to whisper something into her ear to which she replied with a nod. “There are tales of mermaids turning into humans upon leaving the sea but those are just bedtime stories, don't you think, highness?” Her eyes showed Felix pity as she looked at him with a sigh. “The boy must have hit his head. Maybe he spent too much time with sailors and started believing he used to be a mermaid.”

“Merman”, Felix corrected but Chan did not react to him, lost in his own thoughts.

“His head. Right. Assuming...I mean, just hypothetically assuming it was possible for merfolk to turn into humans, is there a way to return him to his old...form?”

The woman looked at Chan as though he was crazy. “I...do not know, highness. You would have to look it up in the library.”

“Yeah, sure, I will have to...” Chan was deep in thought for a few moments before waving the woman away. She excused herself with a bow and left them to themselves. Chan leaned his elbows on the table and rested his head on his hands, brown eyes not leaving Felix even though the latter was busy examining his food. Meat and veggies. Foreign words.

“Felix?” His head snapped up and he prepared himself to be laughed at again but Chan appeared to be in conflict with himself as he spoke. “Sea creatures are...dangerous. There have been tales of merfolk killing off people but nobody has seen any in years. I had hoped...I- I thought they were history by now.”

“History? No, we are hiding but we are doing good”, Felix replied shaking his head.

Chan looked scared all of a sudden, scared and endlessly confused as he looked Felix up and down. “You should...eat first, it's going to be a long day.”

Felix looked at the silver things that had been placed next to his plate, one of them looking like the front of a sawfish and the other reminding him of the spears some of his kind used to hunt but much smaller. The food looked weird but curious as he was, he wanted to see what it tasted like.

Felix glanced up at Chan who was still observing him closely until a thought dawned to him and he reached for the silver spear and saw. “You don't know how to eat with fork and knife, do you?” Felix shook his head, wondering how he was supposed to eat with two silver sticks and Chan took a deep breath, discomfort still on his face for some reason. “Alright then, let me help. You use the fork to pin the meat down and then cut it with the knife, see? How do you usually eat your food?” He watched as Chan demonstrated the use of the tools, _fork and knife,_ cutting the meat into very small pieces until he realized he had been asked a question.

“Uhm...my teeth? They are sharp enough to cut anything without the use of a...a knife.” He opened his mouth wide for Chan to see to which the other all but dropped the tools with a gasp.

“They're pointy”, he breathed out, eyes wide as he retreated to one of the walls putting distance between them.

“I didn't mean to scare you!” Felix did not think the sight would scare Chan this much so he quickly shut his mouth again, heat creeping into his cheeks. “I-I was born with them. All of us have them.” Felix had noticed Chan's teeth were not like his when he had smiled at him – they were almost edgeless and he understood that humans had to use the knife to make their food smaller.

“Did you-” He could hear Chan swallow hard and waited for him to say something. “Did you ever eat a human?”

“A human, what, no!”, Felix exclaimed in horror. “Humans are far too dangerous to even get close to! Why would I eat them?”

“You don't eat...” Chan let out a sound of surprise, a hand coming up to run through his hair in sudden realization. “You don't want to do me any harm, am I right?”

“Why would I? You're the first human I talk to and so far you have given me no reason to attack you. Or should I?”, Felix retorted with growing confusion when Chan shook his head in a hurry.

“N-No, I just- You know, we think- Uhm...So you are a real merman is what you're saying, yeah?”

“What else would I be?”

“What else, yeah...” Chan trailed off taking controlled breaths when a knock sounded from the door.

“Highness? You have matters to attend to in the tea room. Lord Jinyoung is waiting for you.”

Chan ran a hand over his face with a groan before raising his voice. “I will be right over!” He then looked at Felix again with a careful look in his eyes. “I...I have to go but I'll try to be back as fast as possible, so please eat without me. I...We...I'll think of something.” He slowly reached out to put a hand on Felix's shoulder, then smiled with uncertainty in his eyes and quickly left past the door throwing just one more quick glance over his shoulder.

And Felix was alone again. Alone and confused.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He had been led through a corridor made of white stones and the same soft red material Felix had already seen in Chan's room by the window. Curtains, he had been told. They stepped through one of the many doors entering a very spacious room with chairs and big wooden constructions containing colorful rectangles.

“This is the library”, Chan stated letting go of Felix's arm as soon as he had sat down in one of the chairs. “I come here a lot during my free time because I love the smell of books.”

Felix watched as Chan walked up to the rectangles letting his fingers graze the surface with fondness in his warm eyes. It was easy to tell that he liked this place, he was much more relaxed than earlier in his room and it showed. A few moments of silence passed during which Chan paced through the rows searching for something in particular until he pulled out some of the rectangles and put them down in front of Felix. There were letters on the one lying on top like he had seen them on sunken ships before, the elders having taught him their meanings.

“The encyclopedia of mythical creatures”, he read out loud glancing at Chan who looked rather excited all of a sudden, eyes sparkling.

“These books feature myths, those of your kind as well. We might find out how to help you get your tail back.”

“So you are in fact helping me?”

Chan hesitated and licked his lips, quiet for a few seconds before he replied. “I just don't think you are going to eat me, so I might as well help you.” He grabbed one of the books and opened it. It was made of paper, Felix had seen that on ships as well but the material was not sustainable under water so he curiously reached out to let his hands graze the new surface. It was dry and slightly rough like wood in the sun, the dry land was indeed worthy of its name.

“Why would I eat you, stop with this nonsense”, he scolded Chan with a chuckle, glad that he would actually get help – from a human at that. He scooted closer in his chair, shoulder brushing Chan's in the process as he tried to read along. The sweet scent that had surrounded him when he woke up reached his nose again, it had to come from Chan.

“Sorry, it's just a habit.” Chan turned his head to glance at Felix, their eyes meeting for a brief moment before he glanced down clearing his throat. “Y-you have...a lot of freckles”, he stated quietly without looking at him again and Felix swallowed.

“Y-yes, I...spent a lot of time by the surface, my sisters always said how it was unhealthy for me and that I would dry out in the sun one day.” His heart ached a bit at the thought of his family, homesickness setting in all of a sudden. “I was one of the only mermen to have them so they said it looked strange...”

“They're pretty though”, Chan said with a reassuring smile showing off his dimples. “It's something special for...for your kind, right? You should be proud of it then.”

Felix halted at the sincerity of Chan's voice, warmth spreading in his chest and causing him to hum quietly. It was the first time somebody had complimented his freckles and it felt good. It was weird enough to think a human would even be kind to him and now _this_ – apparently miracles _did_ happen. The words slipped past his lips before his brain could filter them out, spoken softly and full of wonder. “You are nothing like the humans I was told about.”

Chan glanced at Felix from the corner of his eyes with his lips slightly parted. “What...what did they tell you about us?”

“That you would kill us or steal us if we got too close to your ships or the dry land”, Felix explained quietly. The tales were so much unlike Chan, they could not be true but he got cold, shivering at the thought of the stories. “Some of my kind tried to prove the rumors wrong but they never returned. Wait, no, I believe there were rare cases of them returning but...they never talked to their loved ones again. It was like they had turned into zombies.”

“That sounds...horrible”, Chan mumbled more to himself while letting his eyes wander across the page titled _Mermaids_. Why did humans keep narrowing it down to the female merfolk, ridiculous. “I wish I could deny those rumors of our kind killing yours but there are too many bad people out there. We do have hunters from the sea who claim to have found mermaids but those creatures...they always died before anything could be proven. I tried to catch a glimpse of them staring at the sea for hours but I never...I never-”

“So you _do_ hunt us”, Felix breathed with wide eyes trying to distance himself from Chan but the other's warm hand closed around his arm in a hurry.

“You don't understand, not everybody is like them. It's like with the merfolk, there are different tales for different experiences, right? Felix, please calm down, I'm here to help you.” They stared at each other, both with fear in their eyes. Why was Chan scared? He had no reason to be scared on the dry land. Felix did. “Don't panic, I'm on your side.” Felix felt the warmth of Chan's fingers seep into his skin and just wanted this to be true so bad. He was lost and he needed someone who would help him see this through. “Please, Felix”, Chan whispered again. “There is no place where you are safer than by my side right now, just...uh, trust me.”

He had to trust him. What choice did he have? “You sound so confident.”

“I'm the prince, nobody will be able to touch you as long as I don't allow it. And as long as you don't eat me, for that matter.”

“I'm not- Wait, the prince?” Felix blinked taking a couple of deep breaths. It made sense, princes lived in palaces but Chan did not look like a prince, where was his- “Where is your crown?” He reached out to touch Chan's golden hair thinking the crown might be hidden under the curls.

The other snorted but smiled nonetheless, dimples showing and eyes crinkling as he pulled the chair Felix was sitting on closer again. “I prefer not wearing it in my free time, it's uncomfortable.”

“I see...”

“You are safe with me, Felix. I'll try to protect you”, Chan insisted again, eyes focusing on Felix's and his only for a moment. He then pointed at the books he had spread out in front of them. “Shall we start searching?”

Felix did not understand why Chan was helping him even though other humans were hunting his kind but the prince was so warm and welcoming, he could not bring it over himself to say no. Where else would he start anyway, he did not even know where he was. He leaned closer again to read in the book Chan had already opened.

“Yes, let's do that.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Read the passage again”, Chan ordered with his arms crossed behind his head as he lay on the bed. Felix sat by the side in one of the chairs, his legs (the extra limbs) crossed on the seat of the other chair for comfort. He lifted the book again and read slowly so he wouldn't stumble over the words.

“ _If the mermaid is returned to the sea during a clear full moon night, she has the chance of regaining her fins. The transformation cannot be completed at any other time. However, no human should help a mermaid for there are records of men disappearing upon doing so. If the rumors can be believed, the human is pulled down to the depths of the sea by the mermaid after she regained her fins-_ What the hell?” Felix looked up from the book scrunching up his nose. “I never once in my life heard of something like this happening, are you sure this is right?”

“It's the only book featuring the possibility of a sea creature growing legs, it's the best we've got”, Chan insisted only to groan in dissatisfaction. “You sure this never happened before?”

“I might be mistaken but certainly didn't happen to any of my relatives. Merfolk that got too close to the shore disappeared and that was the end of it. And those who returned didn't drown anybody, I'd know.” Felix put the book down with a sigh. “You don't believe this stuff, do you?”

“I wish I didn't”, the prince replied with a deep exhale and glanced at Felix. “But it's hard.”

Chan kept being very distrusting when it came to the nature of the merfolk despite Felix trying hard to explain what he knew from his own life. “Chan, we-”, he started but broke off to start anew. “Are these rumors the reason why you keep talking about me eating you? Because I don't know how to make you believe me that no matter how sweet you smell, that's not it.”

“The rumors? No! Well, maybe...” Chan rolled over so his back was facing Felix, deliberately ignoring the comment on his scent. “They say my mother was...drowned by mermaids, that was about twenty years ago and we know nothing but what a single sailor saw, so it's most likely just some tale but...” He curled up on the bed looking very vulnerable all of a sudden. Felix felt cold and moved to sit on the bed reaching out to Chan's shoulder.

“That does not sound like my people but I...I understand that you're wary of me then.”

“It's not because of you, it's just that I grew up thinking those creatures were at fault for my mother's death. Father hasn't been the same ever since and then-” Chan turned around and sat up, inspecting Felix's face with pain in his eyes. “Then the hunters started killing every mermaid they found never bringing back proof and...I just...I held a grudge for so long.” He let out a frustrated grunt. “And now you're sitting there all vulnerable and so much unlike what I have been told all my life-”

“-and you start questioning what you believe”, Felix finished the sentence with a sad smile letting his cool fingers caress Chan's warm face. “It's the same for me. Humans are supposed to be scary and terrifying but you just jumped to my rescue when I was by the beach without questioning a thing and... That's so not what they kept preaching back at home.”

Felix felt how Chan leaned into the cool touch with a content hum, relaxing his body. “It's not supposed to be so easy being close to one of you. You're not the average sea beast, you're far too soft for that.”

“Don't say that, I can still bite”, Felix snorted with a pout only to laugh at the shock in Chan's face. “Hello? Joke! Please tell me humans tend to be less stupid than you.”

“Maybe but they are lacking my good looks and humbleness.” Chan swatted his hand away with a grunt and reached for the book again to have another look at the page. “Okay, full moon, yeah? We'll try that and until then you'll stay in the guest room next door. Next full moon should be in approximately-”  
“Three weeks and two days, I feel it.”

“Mermen know when it's full moon?” Chan looked impressed, mouth forming a perfect o. “That's awesome! Like an inner clock?”

“You mean humans don't know? Wow to think we are scared of creatures like you.” Felix laughed out loud ignoring Chan's grumbling until he was tackled from the side, feeling how he was pushed over the edge of the bed. In an attempt to regain his balance he grabbed Chan's shirt only to drag him along and they fell to the ground with an unhealthy crack of their backs. “Not what I planned!”, Felix shouted still laughing as Chan buried him under his weight with a mischievous grin, warmth seeping through their clothes.

“Who is the stupid one now?”, Chan hissed with an actual giggle before rolling over to get up. “Well this got out of hand.”

“You think?”, Felix replied dragging Chan back to the ground by his hand.

“Stop messing around, this is serious”, the prince laughed wanting to say more but they were interrupted by a knock on the door just like before. “Shit, Felix, get up”, he hissed with all playfulness wiped from his face as he stood in front. “Yes, come in?”

The door opened to reveal one of the servants looking worried. “Highness, you did not attend the evening meeting with the counts yet, are you not feeling well?”

Chan pushed his hair back with a frown, back tense and intimidating compared to just seconds before. “What time is it?”

“Ten past six in the evening, your highness.”

“Six?” Chan glanced at Felix in shock trying hard not to stumble over his words. “I did not notice how time passed, tell them I need five minutes, then bring my friend to the guest room next to mine. He will stay here for a couple of weeks.”

“Highness, I don't think his Majesty would approve of you letting a stranger-”

“I approve, discussion over.” Chan watched the servant leave, tension melting away from his body when he glanced at Felix again. “Don't tell anyone you are a merman. My father would have you hanging on the market place to starve in no time, got it? You must under no circumstances tell anybody.”

Felix swallowed hard with a nod. “And you?”

“I have matters to attend to but I'll come over as soon as I can. Stay strong!” Chan threw on some more clothes quickly, a beautiful dark blue jacket for his white shirt adorned with golden patterns, then he ran past the door, gone like the sweet smell surrounding him. Felix glanced at himself in the mirror on the wall, quickly fixing the clothes he had been given and putting his hair back in order without being able to stop smiling. Chan's giggle kept ringing in his ears like a melody, like a spell he was unable to resist. He completely missed how the little scales usually decorating his cheeks were gone as he thought of the day's events.

Felix knew this was not how things should have gone when acquainting a human.

But that didn't mean it was bad, right?

 

 

 

 

 

He was sitting on the bench just outside the palace enjoying the sun as it danced on his skin. His hands and nose were cold but they had been ever since Chan had found him on the beach. Was it already more than a week ago? Felix had spent ten whole days on the dry land and he was still doing just fine, body not failing him like he had expected it to.

“There you are!”, a familiar voice sounding like sunshine sounded from right behind him and he tilted his head back coming face to face with Chan's warm eyes and dimpled smile. “I didn't get to see you all day, I was afraid you had vanished without telling me.”

“Where would I go? You said it's safest by your side and I won't put that to the test by getting myself killed by some hunter”, Felix replied reaching out to Chan's golden hair shimmering in the sunlight like a halo. “You look stunning like this.”

Chan's eyes widened only briefly before he cleared his throat and moved to sit down next to Felix on the bench. He was wearing a wide low cut shirt and a jacket of dark blue color, Felix had learned blue was the color of the kingdom they were in. “How was your day?”

Felix straightened his back, eyes flowing over with excitement. “I went to a small house next to the palace and there were animals I had never seen before! They were tall and had four legs to walk on, they looked very majestic! Do all animals of the dry land have legs?”

“That would be the stable then. You saw what we call horses and yeah, I guess most creatures of...of the dry land use legs. Just a few exceptions.” Chan had taken a liking to the endless curiosity of the merman, smiles spreading his lips whenever he got the chance to explain something to him. Their interactions were very simple but they were all Chan needed to escape his dull routine talks with lords and counts of the area.

“I thought I had seen all there was to the world but now that I'm here I can't believe what I missed out on! The dry land is like a treasure chest, I wish I could see more than the gardens”, Felix said just when he got distracted by a ladybug landing in the flowerbed to their right.

Chan watched with a fondness he didn't want to admit to yet, watched as Felix poked out one of his fingers to pick up the ladybug without much success. _I wish I could see more._ “Felix, do you want to go for a ride with one of the horses? I could take you wherever you want to go.”

“You can ride them?” The younger spun around with wide eyes and childlike wonder on his face, agreeing when Chan nodded in reply. “I would love to!”

 

“This is really high up”, Felix mumbled clinging to the reins of the light brown horse he was sitting on. “Are you sure the horse is alright with this?”

“It will take the prince's orders”, Chan affirmed with a quiet chuckle as he observed Felix's bad posture on the horseback. “Okay but I really can't trust you with an own horse yet. Mind if I sit down behind you?”

“Oh no, f-feel free.” Felix could not suppress the little stutter in there, happy that Chan offered to help him out without him having to ask. He had done that a lot during the past week, explaining whatever Felix didn't understand and asking about the ways of the merfolk in return. He felt so understood by the prince it hurt to think he was one of the bloodthirsty humans from the tales. What an unfortunate situation.

Chan wasted no time putting a foot into the stirrup iron to swing his other leg over the horse. Felix felt Chan's chest pressing against his back, sturdy and warm when the prince took the reins in his own hands, hot breath ghosting over Felix's neck. “Are you cold, little merman?”, Chan whispered with a hint of worry in his voice to which Felix tried hard to suppress a smile.

“M-my body does not appear to heat up like yours but your warmth should be enough for both of us. Just...just stay close and I'll be fine.” He had mumbled the last words more to himself and swallowed when the hot breaths kept heating up the skin of his neck.

“You have something like a mark here”, Chan noted curiously.

“It's the mark of my family, my sisters have it too. It looks somewhat like a flower, now that I know what you call them, right?”

“More like a sun”, Chan hummed and Felix was about to turn his head when something soft and warm came in contact with the cold mark. “It's almost as pretty as your freckles.”

“What are you doing?”, Felix asked as he felt blood creep up into his cheeks and he felt too warm all of a sudden. Like he was burning up while his fingers remained as cold as ice. The warm touch lingered for a few more seconds until Chan seemed to snap out of his trance.

“I'm sorry, I just...It just overcame me so I leaned closer.” He cleared his throat awkwardly tightening his grip on the reins. “Where do you want to go?”

“Wherever this horse takes us is fine.”

“It takes us anywhere we want, Felix. This is a living carriage, if you will.” Chan couldn't help the chuckle escaping him and he chewed on his lower lip to keep it down. “But if you don't have a preference, the forest it is. I got someplace to show you.”

 

 

When they had entered the forest, Felix didn't know where to look. Trees. Trees everywhere, tall, strong and healthy with lush grass by their roots and birds singing hidden in their branches far up high. The birds didn't sound anything like the seagulls Felix had seen until then and they were much smaller and rounder, like delicate versions of the screeching sea birds. Chan started whistling the birds' song at some point, high pitched and happy, which had Felix stare back at him in surprise.

“Do you understand what they are singing?”, he asked curiously only for the prince to chuckle as he tugged at the reins of the horse, hands casually resting on Felix's thighs for comfort.

“I don't but I love listening to their little melodies, cheerful and carefree. Do you like it?”

Felix raised his eyes towards the trees again, sunlight pouring down through holes in the treetops. “I enjoy it a lot. There's nothing like this under the sea.”

Chan halted the horse, causing Felix to all but whine at the loss of warmth when the prince jumped off the back. The merman didn't hesitate when Chan stretched out his hands to help him down, warm fingers closing around his waist to stabilize him. Yes, Chan's warmth was something extraordinary, it felt like he was radiating it unlike anyone else Felix had met. They smiled at each other for a brief moment, Chan's eyes softening endlessly only to snap out of it a moment later with a cough. They walked down a small path, Chan's hand warm and reassuring in Felix's until they reached a huge clearing and Felix felt his breath halt.

There were flowers, so many flowers. Unlike those by the palace they grew in all kinds of heights and shapes creating a colorful image that reminded him of the coral reefs near his home. But that was not everything – a small stream of water stretched across the entire clearing, the low sound of water lapping against rocks audible through the birds' songs. Felix surged forward, still unwilling to let go of Chan's hand resulting in him dragging the other along to the middle of the flowers.

Chan let out a soft laugh, lips spread into a smile that showed off his dimples as he followed suit. “You like it?”

“It's beautiful”, Felix whispered running his fingertips over the soft petals of a bright orange flower. It reminded him of his scales that were missing and he swallowed hard. “Can I...can I take some with me?”

“Of course you can, nobody ever comes here”, Chan replied cheerfully watching as the other started walking around the clearing with bright eyes.

Silence settled between them as Felix kept collecting flowers of all kinds, both of them lost in their own thoughts as the sun shone down on them. Chan was lying next to the water and Felix could feel his eyes on him but whenever he turned around to see, the prince had his eyes closed to enjoy the sunlight.

The sun traveled further as time passed and Felix put down his flowers to walk up to the rivulet with curiosity. Never before had he seen water in streams like this, it had always been vast oceans or very broad rivers. He dipped his hand into the transparent liquid only to flinch shortly after with a soft gasp. It was freezing cold. So cold he felt like his heart would stop if he tried to go further inside. He blinked in confusion, unfamiliar with this discomfort in connection with his usual habitat.

Chan heard him reaching out to his hand from where he was lying down. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I just- I...yes.” Felix shook his head to get rid of his thoughts, glancing at Chan and splashing him with the freezing water a second later. The prince looked absolutely taken aback blinking furiously to avoid getting anything into his eyes and Felix felt laughter bubble up his throat. Laughter was good to overcome shock, wasn't it?

“Look at you, mighty prince! Afraid of water, it seems?”, he mocked but couldn't say anything else when Chan riposted with a splash of his own. Freezing cold drops of water penetrated his clothes and seeped into his skin causing him to hiss at Chan's smug expression. “Y-you will pay for this.” The warm hand in his was enough for Felix to ignore the cold and attack with all he had, which soon resulted in a water fight that was more playful than life threatening for anyone.

Felix had just been splashed with a full load of water, hair dripping by then when Chan suddenly stopped to stare at him with wide eyes. “Felix, you- what is that?”

Panicking at the sudden change of mood, Felix froze entirely waiting for Chan to explain what he meant. The prince reached out with his hands, thumbs stroking over Felix's cheeks burning hot and contrasting with the icy water. “What's wrong?”

“Your cheeks, they- you-” Chan's eyes were jumping from left to right, fascination joining the initial shock. “See for yourself.”

Felix moved closer to the water, watching his reflection on the smooth surface with a gasp. Scales. Tiny orange scales like he had been used to all his life. “How is this possible?”

“It must be because you came in contact with water”, Chan tried to explain still awestruck as he stared at Felix. “But you said nothing happened while taking a bath the other day-”

“My tail didn't return but I didn't look at the face”, Felix mumbled quietly, tears forming in his eyes. “I missed these colors.”

Chan's thumbs returned to his cheeks to feel the texture of the scales. “They go so well with you. Like a goldfish but much more stunning. It's beautiful.” He couldn't seem to let go until Felix's skin dried and the scales disappeared one after the other and a thought came to his mind. “We have to make sure nobody ever sees this. Don't show anyone.”

“I know”, Felix replied quietly, unable to believe that he finally had proof of his true nature apart from the pointy teeth. “You...you are not going to tell anyone, right?”

“No, who do you take me for?” Chan denied with a deep frown etched into his forehead. “I would never tell on you, I'm not like them. It will be our little secret.”

The sun disappeared behind the trees by then leaving them in semi-shade and Felix felt cold again, damp shirt not helping the slightest. _Chan is warm. He is always warm._ He shuffled forward and curled his arms around Chan's waist pressing his cold nose into the crook of the prince's neck.

“F-Felix? What are you-”

“I'm cold”, Felix whispered tightening his grip when his ears heated up for no apparent reason. He was still cold, why would they? “Could you just...hold me for a moment?”

He could feel Chan's heartbeat, fluttering like one of the small round birds as the other swallowed first, then engulfed him in a tight hug. The sweet scent of peaches that was always around Chan surrounded him and Felix wished he could just drown in the sweet warmth of his hug forever. “You are shivering”, Chan noticed after a few moments of silence, voice giving away that he was worried sick. “We need to put the flowers into the water anyway, we should leave.”

Felix took another deep breath nodding against Chan's neck before he registered what he had said. “Flowers...need water?” Never once had he seen flowers by the ocean, it seemed weird that they needed water growing so far away from it.

Chan pulled him to his feet, arms still holding him carefully like he would break if he moved too fast. “They don't grow in it but it's...like their food. Without water they would die”, he explained with his voice getting lower as he spun the thought to the end. Felix pulled back and watched as tribulation bled into the warm eyes like a truth Chan didn't want to believe. “It's a bit like you then, is it not?”

“Yeah, maybe...” Felix glanced at the orange flower near his feet and leaned down to pluck it holding it close to his face to see all the little textures on the petals. “So different yet the same, I guess.”

Chan took the flower from Felix's hands and pushed it into his hair behind the ear with a little smile. “It's the same color as your scales”, he said brushing his thumbs over the merman's cheeks once more as if the scales were still there. “I will make sure to keep you alive. Just hang in there for a bit longer, little flower.”

Felix's chest heated up at the sweet nickname spoken with such affection it almost hurt. He kept repeating Chan's words in his head. _I'm not like them._ No, he was so different from the other humans, warm and kind and just perfect. “I still have so much to explore but I only have two weeks left.”

Chan nodded, eyes darkening at the mention of the time span. “Let's make the best of it. I'll show you everything you want. Who would have thought I'd ever get to show a merman the world?”

Felix smiled and Chan's eyes flickered down to his pointy teeth, not with fear but with invariable warmth. “Who would have thought I'd ever be hugged by a human?”

The scent of the orange flower mixed with that of peaches as they kept staring at each other. It was warm.

Felix enjoyed everything about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You are so quiet”, Felix said when Chan rested his chin on his shoulder from behind with a sigh. They were sitting on the brown horse again, Felix had insisted on being taken to the sea. He just wanted to see it the way Chan did every day. However, the prince had looked rather displeased when they could finally meet up after he had fulfilled his responsibilities for the day. The tension had escaped Chan's body as soon as he had spotted Felix but there was no way one could miss the dark red streaks on the prince's cheek. “Was it your father again?”

Chan hummed quietly leaning his head against Felix's. “It's not the first time he hit me but I just don't get why he is so displeased with-” He broke off but Felix knew where this was going.

“It's about me, right?” The king had not approved of Felix staying in the palace since day one and that was understandable but going as far as hitting his own son?

“Don't worry about it. I'm not abandoning you, not when there's less than one week left. It's fine.” Chan felt how Felix's body tensed up but before the younger could say anything he pointed at a cliff they were approaching, slowing down the horse. “Look, we're here.”

Felix's words got stuck in his throat when he spotted the horizon far, oh so far away. Chan's warmth left him once more as he helped him down and tied the horse to a tree. Felix had noticed how his body would cool down faster and faster when Chan was not around and he didn't like the thought of being separated from the warm hands, eyes, chest by then. It was a matter of survival and Felix knew that Chan had noticed as well. He frequently skipped some of his meetings sending in a spokesperson instead just to spend more time close to him. Felix couldn't imagine a day without Chan anymore, he didn't _want_ to. He was craving the warmth too much.

Without having to say anything Chan intertwined their fingers and led him closer to the edge of the cliff. “This is where I found you”, he explained softly pointing at the damp sand below and Felix recalled the feeling of being all on his own in a place he didn't know and a situation he had deemed impossible all of his life. “You looked so lost.” It had barely been two weeks but that seemed so far in the past to him already, the memories he had made on the dry land so much more important.

“But you found me”, Felix smiled while looking at the blue sea mirroring the clear sky above with waves sparkling in the sunlight. “And that's what counts.”

“Yeah. I'm...I'm glad.” Chan's voice was laced with something wistful and he tightened his hold on Felix's hand. “I feel like I can just be myself around you. And I've learned so much about...about your kind.”

“Can only give that back”, Felix smiled but it vanished soon enough. They had less than a week left together now. The simple thought caused Felix's chest to contract and he turned away from the sea to meet Chan's eyes. Warm eyes. Emotional eyes. “I don't...No, what if it doesn't work? What if I...If I cannot turn back?” The cold caused his teeth to clatter and Chan noticed without missing a beat, enclosing Felix in his arms like he had done for the past week whenever he was cold.

“Why do you have to ask, little flower? I'll stay by your side until we find a way.”

“That would be wonderful.” The warmth in Felix's chest was overwhelming even though he knew just how short lived it was. He would be cold soon enough. “But...but what if I don't make it? What if I- if I-”

“Don't say it.” Chan's voice was firm yet his eyes showed Felix so many emotions. He had never seen Chan look at anyone else like that. Like being with Felix meant something special to him. Maybe it really did. “I'll do everything to keep you alive. Were you always cold this easily?”

Felix shook his head. “No, it only started when I lost my fins. Water is ice cold, everything is except for the moments where I can be close to you. Does this even make sense?” He let out a helpless chuckle and averted his eyes trying to hide the blush spreading from his ears to his cheeks but Chan grabbed his chin to make him face the prince.

They just looked at each other in silence, the sound of waves and wind being the only things to reach their ears as Felix drowned in the brown warmth of Chan's eyes. Suddenly, he didn't want to leave. He wanted to just stay there and inhale Chan's scent while threading his fingers through the golden hair. Their faces were mere centimeters apart and Felix felt Chan's hot breath on his cheeks, eyes darting down to the pink lips by reflex. It could be so easy, Felix wanted to feel the warmth, feel as much as he could, absorb it all but he could not just...or could he? He licked his lips, Chan following the quick movement with his eyes before tightening his hold on him. “Chan, I...”

“It's okay, little flower.” His voice was raspy and so quiet Felix almost thought he had imagined it if it hadn't been for that desperate wish in Chan's eyes. “Just take it.”

Another heartbeat passed, Felix's heart threatening to just jump out of his chest when he finally gave in and bridged the distance, cold lips pressing against Chan's hot and soft ones. It felt exhilarating like his whole body was suddenly on fire, burning him alive right there in Chan's arms. Nothing could ever compare.

Chan deepened the kiss, fingers slipping away from Felix's chin and into his hair, unwilling to let go until they were both lacking air. This was all Felix needed. He never wanted anything else than just this, Chan holding him in his arms and looking at him like...like...

“I can't believe you are real”, the prince whispered stroking a strand of hair out of Felix's face to lean his forehead against his. “I can't believe you're this perfect, little flower.”

Chan's fingers traced the outline of Felix's jaw, then went up to caress the freckles so...so lovingly. The fire of the kiss didn't want to subside and Felix basked in the warmth Chan was willing to give to him and him only.

Felix was in love. Suddenly, nothing else mattered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chan couldn't leave Felix's side for the remaining days. The longer he was separated from him the more he feared that Felix would freeze to death. The situation had quickly gotten worse after their kiss as if being with Chan was a drug. No blanket was warm enough to replace him, no hot bath did remotely the same for Felix as the simple touch of Chan's hands. It pained Chan so much seeing Felix like that, he wished he could do more for him. Whenever he distanced himself, Felix would pull him back begging him to stay with him.

Just a little longer. Just one more hug. Just one kiss on the cheek.

No, Chan could not leave him alone, not one second. Not now.

“We should leave soon”, Chan stated as he ran his hand through Felix's blonde hair while the other wove the flowers together they had collected in the morning. “The sun is going down already.” Felix leaned back against his chest, unwilling to accept the undeniable truth.

It would be tonight. The full moon. Felix's only chance.

Chan swallowed, trying to stay positive for both of them. “Cheer up. You can finally go home-”

“I don't want to go back.” Felix let the flowers drop to the ground by his side and snuggled into Chan's embrace instead. “I still have so much to see. So much time I want to spend with you-”

“Your state has gotten worse and you know that.” It hurt, having to state these truths but it was for Felix's best. Chan could not watch him suffer but he couldn't be with Felix at all times as the heir to the throne. He had his own duties he could not neglect much longer, his father was already furious enough. Felix would only suffer more if he stayed, no, Chan would rather know Felix safe someplace else than suffering by his side.

Protecting curious and beautiful Felix was everything.

“Let's go ready the horse”, Chan mumbled only to have Felix shake his head.

“I don't want to leave you, Chan.”

“Hey, look at me.” Felix kept shaking his head and Chan gently pulled his face up by the chin to meet the merman's teary eyes. “Little flower, look. You're not leaving me. I'm always right here for you.” The first couple of tears spilled over and Chan's chest constricted at the sight of Felix's trembling bottom lip. He leaned in to kiss one of the tears away, taste salty on his lips. “It's gonna be alright.” Another kiss. “I'll be here for you.” And another. He felt how Felix's arms curled around his neck, cold and trembling and Chan took it as an opportunity to place his arms under Felix's knees and behind his back to lift him up.

“No, don't-”

“Enough whining, little flower. This is what's best for you and you know it.”

 

 

The ride to the beach had been quiet, none of the usual bickering and agitated talking lifting the gloomy mood as Felix kept crying against the prince's chest in silence. The full moon was shining down from the dark night sky in all of its beauty, a bright white light sealing their fate. Chan halted the horse right by the beach getting rid of his shoes and rolling up the legs of his pants before lifting Felix into his arms again. As cold as ice, skin even paler in the moonlight.

“It's time.”, Chan could hear how a choked sob slipped past Felix's lips and his stomach churned. “Let's hope this works.”

“I don't want to leave you.”

“We've discussed that already”, Chan chuckled softly pressing a kiss to Felix's temple and beginning to walk into the water. It was cool, a welcome change in the warm summer night but Felix dug his fingers into Chan's shoulders with a shriek.

“It's so cold. I'm going to freeze, Chan, no, don't do this.”

“It's for your best, look, I'm right here with you.” Felix took a shaking breath staring at the pitch black liquid in absolute horror, then back at Chan who kept walking further away from the beach. He was scared this wouldn't work but it was their only choice. Felix would freeze if he stayed in the palace any longer, Chan couldn't let him die just because he was too selfish. “The dry land is no place for you, I have to give you back to the sea. You deserve the world, Felix. There is so much more to explore.”

“But what if I only want you?”, the merman choked out caressing Chan's face so lovingly it was incredible to think they hadn't even met four weeks ago. He then curled his arms around Chan's neck, calming down with every heartbeat he spent staring into his dark eyes. “Don't let go, my prince.”

The water was reaching up to Chan's waist by then and he couldn't bring it over himself to look away from Felix, absorbing every little detail about him. If this worked there would be no need for concern, yes, this would work for sure. Nothing was lost yet. He leaned down to let his lips ghost over Felix's face, eyes focused on him and him alone. As always. “I won't let go until you are alright again, little flower.”

“Can you promise?”

Chan nodded with a smile. “I promise.”

He leaned in to press another soft kiss to his flower's cool lips, trying to convey all of his warmth to the other as he let himself fall into the ocean dragging Felix along. Water clashed together above his head enclosing him in the cool embrace of the sea as he let himself sink to the ground, holding Felix as close as possible. It had to work.

It had to work.

Chan lost count of the seconds, running out of oxygen when Felix's shivering body stilled entirely only to come back to life moments later. He realized that the legs were no longer smooth like he had been used to but rough and with texture. Scales. There were scales underneath his fingers. A smile spread on Chan's face when the freezing cold body he held turned warmer again.

Felix was alright.

His little flower had survived.

Something pulled his body upward towards the surface, or was it down? He was not entirely sure as he felt his consciousness slip through his fingers like sand, lack of oxygen causing him to feel dizzy. _Don't let go._

“My prince, please breathe.” He tried to open his eyes, tried to do as the voice said but he couldn't. “Breathe, Chan. Please.” He felt lips on his own, lips he had grown so accustomed to over the past couple of days. A fit of coughs caused him to convulse, salty water being thrown out of his lungs until he could breathe again. Breathe like he had been told to.

“Can you hear me, my prince?”

Chan licked his lips trying to calm his own heartbeat before opening his eyes with another smile as he met worried eyes framed by countless freckles.

“I can hear you, little flower.” They were both alright. A pair of arms curled around his neck and he breathed in the scent of saltwater and damp sand. Worlds apart but never far away.

“I can hear you.”

 


End file.
